Red Bull Racing vs Lotus F1 Team

Lore & Background

The team was set up by a group of Malaysian businessmen led by Tony Fernandes using a licence from Lotus Cars owner Proton for the use of the Lotus name in Formula One. It was run by a company called the 1Malaysia F1 Team Sdn Bhd. The team gained its entry after the withdrawal of the BMW team in 2009. After having that licence terminated for further seasons, the team bought the historic Team Lotus brand in the 2011 season. The Caterham Group was set up after Fernandes purchased British sportscar manufacturer Caterham Cars. Team Lotus, although forming part of the group, continued to compete under the Lotus name for the 2011 Formula One season. The team's name was eventually changed to 'Caterham F1 Team' at the end of 2011.

In Their Own Story

The rain fell hard over Silverstone as Vettel’s Red Bull closed in on Raikkonen’s Lotus. The track was a slick ribbon of grey asphalt, reflecting the floodlights. In the pit lane, mechanics shouted over the roar of Renault engines. One second later, tires were swapped, and both cars launched back into the storm, fighting for position not just against each other, but against the fading grip of the wet circuit.

Reader's Guide

The team was based at the RTN (Racing Technology Norfolk Ltd.) facility in Norfolk, UK, 10 miles from the Lotus Cars factory. The team's technical director was Mike Gascoyne. The team used engines supplied by Cosworth and gearboxes from Xtrac. Drivers for the 2010 season were Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen, with Fairuz Fauzy as test and reserve driver. The 2010 car was named the T127. The team scored no championship points in its two seasons.

Did You Know?

• The team was founded as Lotus Racing and operated by 1Malaysia Racing Team Sdn. Bhd., a privately funded project jointly owned by Tune Group and Naza Group.
• The team's debut marked the return of the Lotus name as a constructor to Formula One for the first time since 1994.
• Keith Saunt, the team's Chief Operating Officer, had previous experience with Red Bull Racing as chief operating officer and director of Red Bull Technology.